Actuating mechanism for registers.



W. S. GILLAM.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR REGlSTERS.

. APPLICATION FILED APR.28.1917- I 1,238,283. Patented Aug. 28,1917

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ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR REGISTERS.

.APPLICATION FILED APR.28,1917.

- Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

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GILLAM, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR REGISTERS.

Application filed April 28, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILEY S. GILLAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Actuating Mechanisms forRegisters, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to registers and more particularly to theactuating mechanisms for the cash registers of street cars and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple andpractical actuating mechanism for the cash registers of street carswhich will be reliable and efficient in use and operation. A furtherobject is to provide an actuating mechanism of the above generalcharacter which will cause the register to indicate the number of peopleentering a streetcar, and the fares collected.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and inpart indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of thisinvention.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and inthe relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as morecompletely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend theunderlying features thereof that they may embody the same by thenumerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by thisinvention drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as apart of this disclosure, and in such drawings like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a portion of the actuating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a slight modification;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Fig.1, there is indicated the rear end of the street car provided with aplatform 10, an entrance step 11 divided into two parts, the right-handpart permitting the exit for passengers while the left-hand part isprovided with an aux- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Serial No. 165,101.

iliary step 12 actuated when ever a passenger above predeterminedweight, say thirty pounds, enters the car. A hand rail 13 and guide rail1 on the platform direct the passengers to and from the car.

Broadly speaking the mechanism includes the auxiliary step and certainintervening mechanism between the step and the cash register adapted totransmit motion from one to the other, whereby as each passenger stepsupon the auxiliary step 12 it will cause the cash register to beactuated and ring up the fare given to the conductor by the enteringpassenger. The step 12 is provided at each end with a sheet metal guardflange 15 and along the front side with a downwardly turned flange 16adapted to inclose the step and protect the mechanism interposed betweenthe step 11 and the auxiliary step 12 from dust and dirt. Thismechanism, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a plurality of springs 16,preferably four in number, one near each corner of the step, resting inpockets 17. These springs are adapted to be compressed as a passenger orone above the average weight of a five-year old rests upon the step 12,and to restore the step to normal position as the passenger steps on theplatform 10.

Running longitudinally of the step are a pair of rods 18 havingdownwardly turned ends 20, as shown in Fig. 5, provided withanti-friction rollers 21, at each end, adapted to travel in slots 22 inthe end flange 15. This mechanism insures the entire bodily movement ofthe step 12 whenever a passenger rests thereon, and prevents one endfrom tilting upwardly, thereby possibly causing the passenger to losehis balance.

This mechanism may be modified slightly as shown in Fig. 6, in whichcase the rod 18 is provided with rollers 24 at each end, traversingslides 25 in brackets 26 secured to the under side of the step 12. Theextreme end of the rod 18 is mounted in a fixed bearing member27'secured to the main step 11.

This movement of the auxiliary step 1.2 is transmitted to the cashregister by means of a T-shaped bracket 30, the head of which slides,and guides 31 on the step riser 32 while the body portion of the bracket33 extends transversely beneath the step 12. The lower end of the member30 has pivotally connected therewith at the point 34 a link 35 the upperend of which is pivotally connected at 36 with a bell crank lever 37supported on bracket 89. The opposite end 38 of this lever is adjustablyconnected by means of a clamp 40 to one end of a cord 41, which passesover certain pulleys 12 on the car body, and thence to the cash registeras indicated in Fig. 1. As the bell crank lever 37 is rotated the point38 moves toward the left, and in order to insure the proper tensioningof the cord 41 to actuate the cash register there is provided a U-shapedprojection -13 adapted to engage under the cord 41 as the bell cranklever rotates.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a slight modifi cation in which the link 35 isconnected to an arm 44 mounted upon the shaft i5. Keyed to this shaft isan arcuate member 46 to which the end of the cord 41 is adjustablyconnected by means of a pin 47. Thus as the shaft 45 is rotated themember 46 will be correspondii'igly rotated to pull the cord 41 towardthe left.

It is believed that the method of operation of a device of thischaracter is clear from the above. It is suflicicnt to state that as theperson steps onto the auxiliary step 12 the latter will move bodilydownwardly causing a depression of the bracket 30 con nected to theunder side thereof, which in turn transmits motion through the bellcrank lever 37 to the cord 41. As the person steps into the car pressureis relieved upon the auxiliary step 12 and the four springs 16 restorethe same to its former position, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Theprovision of the rods 18 and rollers 21 traversing the slots 22 insuresthat the step moves bodily and is free from any tilting motion.

It is believed that the present invention is of simple and practicalconstruction, and is adapted to accomplish among others all of theobjects and advantages herein set forth.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to thespecific form shown and described.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a car provided with an entrance and exit step, anauxiliary step at one end, a plurality of springs near the corners ofthe auxiliary step resting in pockets in the entrance step for restoringthe auxiliary step to normal position after being depressed, a pluralityof longitudinal members associated with the under side of said auxiliarystep having bent ends, rollers carried by the bent ends thereby toinsure an equal movement of both ends of the step when depressed by anentering passenger, and means for transmitting motion from the auxiliarystep to a cash register comprising a sliding bracket secured to theriser of the step having a laterally extending arm engaging the underside of the auxiliary step adapted to prevent rocking movement of theauxiliary step and a flexible connection between said sliding bracketand cash register.

2. In combination with a street car having a main step, an auxiliarystep, spring means for holding the step in normally raised position,guards for inclosing the space between the main step and auxiliary stephaving slots associated therewith, longitudinally disposed rods havingbent ends, roll.- ers carried by said bent ends adapted to traverse saidslot whereby equal movement of the opposite ends of the step is insured,guides in the riser of the main step, a sliding bracket mounted in saidguides and having a laterally extending part engaging the under side ofthe auxiliary step, a bell crank lever, means connecting the bracketwith the bell crank lever for transmitting motion thereto when the stepis depressed, and flexible means extending from said bell crank leverand connected with the cash register whereby the cash register isactuated when the step is depressed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILEY S. GILLAM.

Witnesses:

W. C. BROOKS, C. CARSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

